And Then There's Love (Drabbles)
by Kireina-Ame
Summary: A collection of IchiRuki drabbles originally inspired by IchiRuki Month prompts. Each chapter is a stand-alone.
1. King and Queen

The drabbles that were originally created for IchiRuki Month (go to tumblr to enjoy the entries, you won't regret it!) will be titled using the prompt. I set a challenge for myself for each of these: complete it in one sitting, don't go with the "obvious" choice for the prompt, and be creative. These are all stand-alone drabbles that are too short to be counted as one-shot so that's why they will all be listed here. Also, I will only be including _some_ of my drabbles here. Any rating warnings (such as language or sexual content) will be included.

* * *

 **King/Queen** (531 words)

"And then what happened?!" The child bounced excitedly on his bed.

His mother softly chuckled and shhh-ed the child back down to a calmer state. "This is a bedtime story, silly. You're supposed to be falling asleep," she playfully chastised, pulling the covers back over the little boy.

The sound of the child's giggles attracted his father to peer into the bedroom, his orange hair almost a dark auburn in the dimmed lighting. "What am I missing in here?"

"Mama is telling me a story about a prince and a princess and _bad guys_ too!" The excitement was undeniable in his voice.

"Oh yeah?" The man walked carefully into the room and joined his family on the small bed. "Well maybe I can help tell it. What story are we doing tonight?"

His wife unexpectedly blushed and softly admitted, "I'm telling him about a princess that was a magical warrior that lost her powers and how a prince saved her so that they could fight evil together…"

Her husband grinned at that and leaned in close to her ear to whisper, "I like that story too." He tenderly reached up to brush some of her black hair off her shoulders in an uncommon show of affection in front of their child.

"Do you know the story too, Daddy?" the boy asked, determined to hear the rest before being left for the night to sleep.

"Yeah, I do actually. That warrior princess became so powerful that she could defeat almost all the bad guys without the prince even helping."

"WOW! All by herself?!" The boy's excitement was barely contained even when his mother once again shhh-ed him and laid him back into his pillow with an amused smile.

"Yeah, all by herself. But want to know the most amazing part?" The father smirked in a teasing manner, his wife knowing it was meant for her probably more so than their son.

"What?!"

"She gave it all up." The woman held her breath. She, of course, knew how the story went all too well. But she found herself waiting to hear his next words. Depending on what he decided to say, she may have to take it out on him later.

"Noooo!" the little boy complained, not liking that the action was taken out of his story. "Why would she do that?"

"She and the prince got married. They are now a king and queen. And there aren't many bad guys or monsters anymore for them to defeat." Her husband answered, pleasing her immensely.

"UGH! This story is all about that _love_ stuff, isn't it?" The child squirmed in disappointment, his face set in an adorable pout.

"Of course! Would you like to hear more about their love for each other?" Her husband teased their son with a smile. She felt his hand take her smaller one and she held on tightly. She wanted him to know that she loved him too.

"EW! No! Good night!" The child threw the covers up to his chin, turned on his side, and immediately began pretending to be asleep. His parents chuckled, each gave him a kiss on the cheek, and left their son's bedroom hand-in-hand.


	2. Animals

**Rabbits/Animals** (699 words)

He was late. He was late and she was starving. She didn't care that weather was terrible, the sun had long gone down, and traffic was probably heavy going into the city. She didn't care because she was starving and if she didn't get to eat a hearty, juicy steak soon she was going to tear the house apart.

After pacing for what felt like hours, the front door was thrown open, violently bouncing off the wall. Turning sharply, one hand placed on her rounded stomach, Rukia made eye-contact with her husband. Though her eyes narrowed in an aggressive glare, the corner of her mouth curled up in a smirk. "Took you long enough."

"Che. See if I feed you after complaining about driving almost two hours in the rain behind those slow-ass humans." Shaking the rain out of his dark orange hair, he held up an oversized plastic shopping bag designed for food storage. The bag was wonderfully lined in a foil material to keep fold either cold or hot and was large enough to hold multiple dishes, all of which Ichigo knew his wife would consume within 24 hours.

Her threatening expression was replaced by one of joy and hunger. "You found everything?" Without waiting for an answer, she already snatched the bag and darted off to the kitchen to unpack all of the entire carefully organized contents.

"Of course," he answered casually, though he was sure she was no longer listening. He leaned down to kiss her temple while placing a quick caress to her swollen abdomen. "Just pick what you want and we can save the rest for tomorrow."

All he received in return was a happy hum as his short wife merrily began chewing on the most tender, juicy steak he could pay for at one of the restaurants in the city. He knew it meant the world to her that he would go into the city to bring back her food cravings. In her state, it wasn't best to put her in situations that could agitate her to such an extreme. Even though she couldn't shift while pregnant, which in theory should make her safer to the humans in the city. However, not being able to shift didn't make his shifter wife any less dangerous. In fact, he was sure her short temper was mostly due to that and not as much due to the growing child inside of her.

"This is why I keep you around, Ichigo," she teased him with a smile before placing a forkful of steak and mushroom into her mouth.

"I'm sure there's other reasons too," he smirked back at her.

The teasing glint in her eye softened to gentle, feminine glow as she rubbed her stomach. The moment ended as quickly as it came as she blushed, shoving more food in her mouth, and looking off to the side. He loved that emotions and sentimentality brought more bashfulness to his mate than any sexual position he's put her in to conceive their child.

"Only one more moon, Rukia. Would you like me to spend it with you?"

Her gaze rushed back to his face as she swallowed. "You know that's not necessary. You deserve to let your wolf run rather than being locked up in here. I can handle one more moon before the birth."

"It has nothing to do with thinking you can't 'handle it.' It's ok to want to be with you and my child. And it's ok if you want me to stay." He took the hand that did not hold her fork and used his thumb to rub such loving circles on her skin there.

In almost a whisper she answered a soft 'ok' and gripped his hand in return. She was actually nervous the closer she got to the birth. She had not been used to being a part of a loving, functional family. And she certainly didn't feel prepared to be a mother. But she always felt better when her mate was close. She hoped she could give him the child he deserved to have – one that gave him back even half the love and joy that he gave to her.


	3. A Straight Ticket to the Dog House

**A straight ticket to the doghouse** (405 words)

Having sore feet really made you appreciate the random benches placed around community parks. It especially made Ichigo thankful since he was only wearing his thin house slippers. They were not comfortable enough footwear to take a jaunt around the city. However, it wasn't like he had much of a choice. He certainly couldn't go back to the house to get his sneakers instead. Rukia would most undoubtedly attack him with words, her tiny fists, and her small feet again. Nope, shoes just weren't worth it.

Settling back on the wooden bench, Ichigo sighed and let his head fall back onto the boards. He could hear the birds in the trees above him and it was almost enough to calm down his worried mind. He wasn't sure which concerned him more, getting Rukia to forgive him or possibly having to deal with her murderous noble older brother.

After chewing on his lip for a minute, he decided that he cared a great deal more about the feelings of the woman who held his heart but he also worried that the brother of said woman would try to kill him despite eventually being forgiven. Well, at least he _hoped_ he'd eventually be forgiven.

In his defense, he didn't know Byakuya was on the phone with her. Who even gave that man a phone? And she hadn't been holding the phone in her hand! He had innocently come home from his classes at the university and wanted some attention from his girlfriend. And his girlfriend certainly wasn't complaining about his affections to start with. It was only when the sound of a crash, loud enough to carry through the speaker on the phone she placed on her night-stand, was heard from the receiver that she had remembered she was on the phone with him. So should she share the blame?

Besides, he couldn't see what it mattered that her brother knew she was in an _adult_ relationship. Did he think Ichigo a saint? Or his own sister for that matter! She wouldn't hesitate to initiate with him when she felt the urge, that's for sure. Why did she insist on trying to maintain the appearance that they weren't in a relationship (or at least a physical one)?

Well, now he knows though. He'll be careful about possible witnesses before he tries to sex up his girlfriend in the future. It's a straight ticket to the doghouse, otherwise.


	4. Lyrics

**Lyrics** (Light language, 982 words)

"I want to learn to dance."

Ichigo looked up from his soft pillow, eyes struggling to stay open, his voice husky from sleep. "What?"

"I want to learn to dance! And it's almost noon, you idiot! Wake up!" Rukia glared hotly at him from his doorway, hand on her hips.

"It's a Sunday. I can sleep in if I want," he mumbled, turning his back to her and pulling the bed sheets back up to block out the light. Enjoying the soft feeling of his pillow beneath his head, he was too distracted to hear the small feet pad across the room toward his bed. That is, until he feels the weight of a small woman on top of his pelvis. He barely left out an _'oof'_ before the sheets were pulled roughly from his face.

"Damn it, Rukia!"

"You know I'm just going to win, Ichigo. You may as well save yourself the pain now." She crossed her arms over her chest, still holding his bedsheets in one hand, with an amused smirk on her face. And he knew it was futile.

So that's why fifteen minutes later he found himself standing on the hardwood floor of the dining room, the table and chairs pushed against the wall to provide more room, glaring at the petite woman who was beaming from ear to ear. She was holding a book she checked out at the library about the subject, complete with step-by-step instructions and pictures.

"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself looking at the Argentine Tango chapter?"

"What do you mean? We could do this easy! If you can fight with that gigantic zanpakuto without tripping over yourself, I think you can handle this." Rukia rolled her eyes and flipped her hair off her shoulder. He could tell she was determined and he needed to stop this before it became ridiculous.

"How about we start simple, ok?" Ichigo grabbed the book, lightly tossing it onto the table behind them. He turned back to her and held out his hand in an attempt to replicate the gentlemanly formal invitation.

A radiant smile lit up the small shinigami's face as she placed her hand in his, her other hand on his bicep. "You know how to dance already?"

"Not really. Just saw it on TV a few times." Ichigo swallowed before pulling her in closer and shyly placing his hand flat on her back. For some reason, this felt a lot more intimate than her sitting on him in his bedroom.

"Ok, now we step. Do you go forward or do I?" He stared at the top of her head as she looked down at their feet at her question. She obviously had spent more time looking at the pictures than reading the steps.

"No, I lead. Follow my feet. And don't step on them!" Though he didn't appreciate her eye-roll when he was going out of his way to humor her sudden whim, Ichigo stepped forward and Rukia tentatively followed his footsteps. He focused on completing a box-step, the one dance he was familiar with. They both stumbled around slowly, neither making eye contact as they were instead staring at their feet. "Ow! I said don't step on my feet!"

"Oh stop, you baby! You're just going too fast!" She was back to glaring at him, which he found rather threatening considering how easy it would be for her to punch or kick him right now.

"Fine! Let's do it slower." Ichigo grumbled at her, lifting their arms back into the proper position. "When I step forward, you step back, ok? Your right foot first."

"Fine!" she fired back, her eyes immediately going back down to her feet.

"And stop looking down! It doesn't help your footwork. Think of it like zanjutsu, ok? Pay attention to your partner, not your feet." Ichigo had to admit he even impressed himself with that one. And she seemed to think the same thing judging by her expression becoming one of concentration as she fought not to look down.

"That actually makes sense…" Rukia consented to his logic, nodding once. "Just keep your eyes on mine then."

Ichigo felt her hand readjust on his bicep as she stepped closer to him, the heat from her body so achingly close to his. He knew she was blocking her line of sight to her feet but it stop his heart from pounding hard in his chest. He took a moment to bravely set his other hand more firmly on her back, telling himself to stop being scared to touch her. After a few heart beats of uninterrupted eye-contact and her body being held so close to his, Ichigo felt his face warm up. He realized that would have appeared to any possibly bystander that they were embracing intimately right there in the dining room. And he couldn't explain the sudden butterflies in his stomach. "S-should I count the beats? Or I could go get some music to play?"

"Just shut up and dance, Ichigo!"

"Ok, ok!" He cleared his throat, held her gaze, and took the first step forward. "One, two, three… One, two, three…"

After a few successful, even if slow, turns around the room it all became worth it to the orange-headed man when his partner smiled so prettily up at him. He knew she loved learning new modern customs and that this meant quite a bit to her. And if he were going to be honest with himself, he was glad that he was always the one she came to ask. Though these events he often would later deny all knowledge of, he still didn't want it to be with anyone but him. Because this strong warrior woman with childlike curiosity in her eyes that he held in his arms was his destiny and there would be nothing he wouldn't try to just keep her smiling.

" _Oh don't you dare look back,  
Just keep your eyes on me."  
I said "you're holding back."  
She said "shut up and dance with me!"  
This woman is my destiny.  
She said oh oh oh,  
"Shut up and dance with me!"_


	5. Sadness

**Sadness** (Light language, 353 words)

It wasn't 'mourning.' He hadn't died or even been injured. And it wasn't like he was lost or abandoned.

Ichigo had known all along that he would lose his powers but willingly made the choice in order to protect the world. So it was his right to make the decision. And he was safe, his family was safe, and in the grand scheme of things there were very few causalities of the war.

Everyone was fine. He was fine. He was a healthy, normal human living a healthy, normal life. He could now focus on what he wanted to do with his life among the living and was probably happier now than he ever had been working as a shinigami.

So why was she so… depressed? No, it wasn't 'depressed.' That sounded so dramatic. So what was it then? She missed him, that was for sure. But she could normally miss something and think upon it in a nostalgic, happy sort of way. So why was she so… sad? Why was missing him so different?

She wasn't worried about him; he could handle himself. He was intelligent, if a little reckless. And he certainly had the heart to always stand up to do the right thing. And his family loved him well and would be there for him. These were all good things that reassured her. She knew that it was time for her to move on and for life to go back to normal. She was supposed to move forward. But questions kept bouncing around in her heart, keeping her feet planted right where they were. Why did her room feel so large and empty? Why did she always turn to share a thought with someone she forgot for a moment was in a different realm? Why did she continue to feel so unhappy if everything was now perfectly the way it was _supposed_ to be? And why did she think about missing that idiot _so damn much_?

And was it so wrong for her to wish that on the other side that he might, just a little bit, miss her too?


	6. Orange or Purple

**Orange and/or purple** (661 words)

Rukia pulled her hair over her shoulder. Her messy braid felt soft against her neck and in her delicate hand. She had never been complimented on her hair but it was one of her favorite things about herself. Maybe the fact that it went unnoticed made it extra special, almost sacred, to her. She may not style it in the beautiful up-do curls or in the long, free-flowing fashion of the other young ladies of court. She also may not be blessed with the exciting shades of blonde, red, or mahogany of the most favored women. No one who sought to court her flattered her with poetic words about the beautiful of her hair, or anything else concerning her face for that matter. She knew she looked much younger than she was with her large eyes, her pouting mouth, and her dark hair that was braided down her back. She didn't present herself as a woman of age, ready to be suited to marriage.

But at least she felt beautiful.

Her companion, a young Miss Orihime, had been gifted with all that Rukia lacked. Her locks were of a dark blonde color like a wheat field and were styled in tight waves, held back by delicate blue ribbons and clips from her face. She was a thing of beauty. Sometimes Rukia wondered what it would feel like to be marveled at for being so graced by her looks and coloring. Surely it was a curse just as much a blessing. To always be judged by your appearance long before introductions and to only be appreciated for the shallow aspects of herself.

But, on the positive side, her dear friend at least had a chance at gaining the attentions of a certain young Mr. Kurosaki. He was a dashing young man of no more than twenty and six. A little young to be looking for a bride in their circles but his family kept hoping that he'd settle down soon. There were no other heirs and that was a risk to such a family. Because of this, both young ladies had seen him out at functions and socials, looking bored or barely containing his polite affects at the hordes of fathers and mothers parading their eligible daughters up for introductions.

Unfortunately, neither she nor her friend had been given such an introduction yet and it would be absolutely uncouth to approach him directly. Instead, they whispered together their theories of why he was so stand-offish and surly at such a tender age. They would giggle at the facial expressions he made and then retreat when they were spotted.

And she knew her friend found him quite attractive and would not be put-off if he so chose to court her. In fact, Rukia admitted to herself that she felt the same way. His hair may be this odd, ghastly shade of orange-blonde but his eyes were intense and his jaw strong. He was a striking man and well liked among men. He stood out as unique and if she were a gambling woman would bet that he had an adventurous heart.

But who was she to strike the fancy of such a man with her young face and braided hair? No, the positively unique orange-haired man would surely not be drawn in to such a plain creature such as herself.

Or, at least, that's what she thought before said man approached her with a conflicted scowl and shy eyes as her brother followed by his side to introduce her to him. She greeted him in polite surprise as he took her hand in a respectful manner and inquired if she would be available for the next dance. She was nearly stunned into silence. She had never once witnessed him join a dance, not even at the behest of the most available darlings of the ton. And here he was, asking her instead.

Finding her voice, she smiled and said she would be delighted.


	7. Free Space

**~~Free space~~** (Light smut, 380 words)

He felt her breath shudder against his neck. The warm, moist puff of breath against his skin left him shaky and needy. He leaned into the cushions on the back of the couch and pulled her tighter up his lap to press every inch of her body to his. His mouth moved down to kiss, lick, and suck on the skin behind her ear and follow a line down her neck to her collarbone. He was rewarded with a pleased sigh escaping from her lips and she leaned her head back to allow him further access, arching her back for him, and running her fingers into his hair to keep his lips against her.

Her body felt so hot against his and her skin tasted so sweet, but nothing seduced him more than the soft sounds she allowed whispered through her lips. She was usually so collected, so in control, that nothing turned him on like sending her over that edge. And despite her being openly curious, rarely apologetic, and unquestionably brave, it amused and tempted him to no end when he realized early in their physical relationship just how shy she could be. She wasn't shy about being naked. No, she saw that with her overly rational mind that this was her body and Ichigo could choose to take it or leave it because it was not something she could change. But when he was able to stimulate her body to arousal and illicit reactions from her, she was adorably bashful.

He wasn't sure if she was feeling shy about feeling aroused or if she was shy about expressing her sexual need, but he loved giving it to her. When her face turned red and she averted her eyes from his sight out of embarrassment, he would whisper encouragement into her ear or against her skin. "God, Rukia… I love it when you do that."

He never bothered to hide his need for her in his voice and she always accepted his need with open arms. He felt so whole in her arms, as if all was right with him and his world when he was here with her. He was allowed to forget for a time that they were warriors and just be a man and a woman.


	8. Alternate Universe

**Alternate universe** (901 words)

She was not the princess he imagined. When he rode up on his horse with sword drawn and ready, he expected to be met with the battle cry of the kidnappers who took her, ready to defend their hideout. Instead, he was met with the fierce, glaring indigo eyes of the captured princess. Though she was still chained to the wall behind her, all of the trained thieves lay around her feet – surprisingly unconscious. His baffled eyes blinked at her as he stepped down off his horse to carefully walk over, careful of any traps. Her arms were pulled taught above her head and her wrists held together in what looked to be a terribly uncomfortable position. The heavy chain coiled around her arms to keep her locked in place and then it travelled further upward to meet a lock the size of her head.

"What, are you waiting for an invitation? Get me out of here!" She yelled at him forcefully and he detected no fear. Her priceless, hand-painted kimono was ripped and torn to her knees and her hair appeared unkempt but her spirit was strong. He expected a spoiled, sheltered, royal would have been hysterical from terror and enraged from her ruined property. But instead she looked ready to declare war. _This_ was the princess?

"Er… Where is the key to lock?" Ichigo nodded over to the large lock holding her chains in place above her head.

The princess nodded her head over to the side. "I think that guy with the bald head has it. He's the only one who didn't walk close enough to me." The princess tried to stretch her wrists to ease the tension and pain caused from the shackles but all it did was make her wince.

Ichigo stepped over the unconscious forms of the bandits to rummage through the folds and pockets of the large, bald man against the wall. "So how did you knock him out then if he never approached you?"

"I threw the small guy at him. I didn't expect him to walk through the door just then or I would have waited." He could tell from her tone that she was beating herself up over it.

"This is impressive, you know. Not just for a princess." Ichigo couldn't help but smile at her as he showed her the key he fished from the beaten man.

"You saying women should weep and tremble in the face of adversity?" she challenged.

He stepped up to her, having to press closer to her body than propriety would have liked, in order to reach up to the lock and chains. Even after days of travel and confinement, he could smell the expensive flower perfumes in her smooth, black hair. "No, I'm saying that it is surprising for an average person to be able to defend themselves so well, let alone someone from a life so sheltered as yours. Usually you have guards trained to do this for you."

"Oh," she whispered, followed by a sigh of relief as her arms were released from their prison. She slowly lowered them down in front of her, gently rubbing the soreness from her muscles. "Well… thank you."

He only nodded as he stepped back to give her space, glancing at her bruised arms. Somehow this felt private, intimate. He was expecting someone totally different. He thought she would be snobby and distant, or perhaps timid and weepy. But here they were casually conversing as if discussing the weather. He really liked this type of princess and had a new appreciation of her family name that he didn't expect to feel.

"Shall I take you back now, Kuchiki-hime? Sorry I only have one horse." He whistled for his horse as they stepped away from the unconscious men. Again, propriety and the proper treatment for royals, especially unmarried women, would have been for her to ride separately or in a carriage. But when he was sent to her rescue, he only cared about speed. Seems the other samurai were too worried about appearances and he had been the first to arrive.

"Do not apologize. It is fine." It was small but he saw her smile at him in appreciation and it brought an interesting heat to his face. "And it's 'Rukia', if you don't mind."

He was caught off-guard yet again. "Huh? I mean, um, what was that?"

"My name is Rukia." There was no mistaking the smile she gave him this time. And he was shocked again when she leaned down to rip the tatters of her kimono away from her ankles, the dangling fabric having posed a tripping hazard, before reaching for the reins of his horse. She was a scandalous princess! "Are you coming, samurai?"

He couldn't contain the answering grin he gave her as he stepped up to lift her onto the horse. "I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. Nice to meet you, Rukia." Placing his foot in a stirrup, he lifted himself up to sit behind her, pulling her nearly to sit across his lap as she hung both her feet off one side. She didn't hesitate to grip his torso for balance, unashamed at the physical contact. He definitely liked this princess.

"Ah, let's hope it's not the last meeting for both of us." She whispered and he turned his steed around to head out into the forest and away from the thieves den.


	9. Children

**Children** (870 words)

If anyone had asked Rukia if she wanted to have kids, she would not be sure she would have even had an answer. If anyone had asked Rukia when she thought she would have them, she would have been tempted to say 'never.' And if anyone had dared told her how she'd end up pregnant from an orange-headed, human-turned-shinigami idiot… Well, she'd probably punch them.

But here she was instead, about five months with child. Her belly already at the size where she couldn't hide her "delicate condition" and her feet were disappearing from her line of sight. Now that the first trimester was over the nausea was rare, at least. But it barely repaired her dignity at having to sit out most of her duties as lieutenant. Interestingly, she was beginning to get over the fact that her pregnancy was pretty much a public broadcast of her sexual relationship with the former ryoka. Husband or not, she didn't want anyone thinking of her in that way. She needed to maintain her respect and reputation as a fearsome warrior and exceptional lieutenant. The thought of her subordinates picturing her submitting to any man in that way infuriated her.

Or at least it did. She was mostly over it when she began to realize that instead her squad reacted with joy, apprehension, or complete wonder. It wasn't threatening and it wasn't humiliating. Admittedly she herself was even in a state of wonder that she was growing a new little person, half her and half Ichigo, instead her. She was creating life. It was miraculous.

But of all the changes she was going through, the one she didn't foresee at all was what it did to Ichigo. He was having mood swings that rivaled her own and he didn't have a rush of weird hormones coursing through his system to explain it. It was actually rather… adorable, in her opinion.

"Rukia! Where are your slippers?!" She heard him bellow somewhere behind her.

"Somewhere," she answered with a casual shrug. Flexing her toes, she enjoyed the feel of the grass beneath her feet. This would normally be unseemly for any Japanese person and downright disgraceful for a noble. Cleanliness, especially when it came to bringing the outdoors inside your home through your feet/footwear, was of high importance. However, she was caring less and less about such things through her pregnancy. She leaned back on her hands as she enjoyed sitting on the back step of her home, her feet over the side and in the yard.

"You shouldn't be barefoot right now! The weather is getting cooler and you could catch a cold!" She felt the vibrations of his heavy, angry footsteps as he came to sit next to her. Once upon a time he would have thrown the slippers in her direction and then pretended to not care. However, the change he's gone through altered him.

Placing one foot in the grass next to hers, her husband pushed up his shihakusho sleeves and leaned down to lift her small feet. He placed both pink slippers on her feet before sitting back to pull her bodily against him. Placing his head down against her own, he felt her relax to lean back against him, her weight supported by his chest and the leg that he bent to keep one foot on the floor.

They sat together in companionable silence for a while before Rukia suddenly lifted her hand up to her stomach. At first Ichigo didn't think anything of it, she had been touching her belly a lot lately, but when she gasped and her back stiffened, he was in full alert.

" _Oh my god_ , what's wrong?!" He never pushed her over in his panic as he leaned to the side to look at her face, his hands gripping her arms securely but not painfully. He was very ready to carry her to the 4th Division.

The pregnant woman giggled and grabbed one of his hands, placing it under hers and flat against her stomach.

"Rukia? _Talk to me!_ Is it the baby? What was—huh?" Ichigo felt like he ran into a wall suddenly and forgot what was he was saying. Under his hand, he felt some move. At first he thought Rukia was doing something to tell him to stop talking. But then it happened again and she giggled once more. "Is that…?"

"It's the baby. Our baby is moving." Rukia turned her head to press it tight against his chest, her face beaming from ear to ear. "Our baby is alive and well," she said with the sound of tears in her voice.

Ichigo grinned right along with her, keeping his hand on her stomach to feel their child. "Rukia, are you crying?" he teased.

"Just shut up. It's my hormones." She tried to stop the tears but couldn't seem to control them. Wiping her eyes with one of her hands, she laughed through the tears. "I'm just so happy, I can't stop."

She felt his arm slip around her shoulders and touch her cheek, lifting her wet face to meet his. He had the softest but happiest smile on his face as he kissed her forehead. "Me too, Rukia."


	10. Kubo's Poem

**Any of Kubo's bleach poems** (2,003 words)

"If it can be said that it is the heart that is unchanging, then that is strength."

 _Rukia had learned after all this time that changing her mind was relatively easy, even when she wasn't out to do so. However, changing her heart wasn't nearly so._

Throwing her brush carelessly behind her, she rolled her eyes at herself in the mirror. She was done fussing with her hair, feeling silly for primping before a trip to the mortal realm. It was just a visit like any other, nothing different really. It didn't mean anything that she was visiting Ichigo for the first time in his new apartment – his first time living alone. No more family at the clinic, no more roommates at his dorm, it was just him – and her. She shouldn't be nervous. Right? Right.

 _It was his heart that caused her mind to change. And it was his heart that opened her own._

And maybe their relationship wasn't changing like she suspected. She could just be projecting that on him. It was probably just herself that changed. And it was the strangest and most unexpected thing she's experienced! If she herself hadn't grown and matured, she may not have even noticed it.

It was the small things. Her palms would sweat when he stepped _so close_ to her to reach above her to get something off a high shelf. Her heart would race when there was a reason to him and would double in speed if he touched her. She would almost forget to breathe when he gave her this soft, genuine smile.

And she refused to admit to herself what this could mean, what could be the cause. She really didn't want to think about. She didn't want it to be real. The only thing she could confess, at least to herself, was that opening that particular door could only lead to pain. So it was better for nothing to change.

 _His character, his morality, his determination, his kindness, was never wavering. His heart_ _ **was**_ _strength._

"About time you showed up," the orange-haired young man smirked down at her, arms folded across his chest. He had grown up so as to resemble the version of his older self that she saw at the end of the winter war. Time and genetics had surely blessed him.

After only a heartbeat of hesitation, distracted once again by his nearness and his intense gaze, she finally remembered herself enough. She answered as casually and normally as she could. "Well I'm here, right?" Shifting her weight to her other foot and adjusting the small bag against her bag, she stared over his shoulder and into the apartment and then back up to his face. "You gonna let me in?"

His smirk turned into a grin. It wasn't weird for him but for some reason it really caught her attention and she was blaming that un-name-able thing again. He stepped to the side of the doorframe to let her pass into the room, needing to brush against him to get inside. Honestly, if she didn't already know it was all in her head, she would begin to think he was doing things on purpose!

She easily stepped out of her shoes, leaving them in his genkan and she stepped into his living room. The floor was more traditional than his home with his family with the tatami on the floor in one big open space. There were very few items in the room, mostly limited to a small bookshelf, a traditional low table, and some pillows to sit on. She could see a few unpacked boxed in the corner as well. To her left against the wall where the floor was still tile was his small, single-person kitchen barely bigger than the one he shared in his dormitory. And to the side of his living room was a sliding pocket door that she figured lead to his bedroom. It was certainly smaller than his home with his family and was an interesting mix of modern and traditional.

"Don't go comparing it to Byakuya's again. This is what I could afford for now." He walked past her, grabbing the bag off her shoulder to place it next to the table in his living room.

She smirked at his warning and shrugged. "Who said I'd say anything negative? That's all you. I was going to comment on how clean it looks."

"You know I'm not a slob."

She smiled, "I know." She really did. She'd known him for more than five years and he was always mature at caring for his surroundings. And as a regular houseguest, she always appreciated it.

 _She felt it was his heart that called to her and why they were still connected, years later._

They caught up talking for hours, laughing at funny stories and sharing fond memories. Ichigo even cooked dinner for her and it wasn't an instant meal! It may have only been steamed rice, miso soup, and leftover pork strips but it was actually quite impressive and tasty.

She was washing the dishes, which was only fair since he made dinner, while he cleaned up their mess in the living room.

"Hey Rukia! Did you bring a tooth brush?" He yelled from his bathroom, which was through his bedroom.

"Ah… no, I figured I forgot something." She chuckled to herself a little, realizing that she had packed so frantically that she was sure there'd be other items left behind too. She just wasn't about to admit that right now.

"It's fine." He was laughing at her! "I actually have an extra here anyway. Lucky you."

Her heart stopped, just for a moment, again at that. She was just reading into things, right? It didn't mean anything, right? She couldn't even get her mouth to form words to respond to him like she normally would. In fact, her brain just stopped working. What would she have normally said before?

"Uh wait…" He spoke before she could think of a proper response. She was silently grateful as she dried the last dish and walked back into the living room. "I have bad news."

"You were lying about the extra toothbrush?" She joked comfortably. This was normal. Everything was back to normal. It was fine.

"No…" his voice only slightly hesitant. "I don't have an extra futon in here. It must not have been packed for the apartment."

She froze, her expression stuck in a state of surprise as her face heated. It wasn't until she saw Ichigo's face peek around the pocket door of his bedroom that she remembered to wipe that look from her face and grapple with maintaining her "normal" act. "What are you trying to say? You don't have anywhere for me to sleep?" She should act affronted right? Maybe demand his bed? Should she leave?

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck with one of his hands as he stepped out to talk to her. "I must have just forgot to carry it down." He at least had the decency to look apologetic. The light blush she caught on his cheeks helped her be less frustrated. "But I'll go get it tomorrow, ok? We can handle it tonight, right? With how long you lived in my room before and how much we've been through…?"

"W-wha… What? What are saying?" She bit her lip, becoming angry at herself for her voice sounding more nervous and confused than what she should have been. She should have been prideful, insulted, and amused at his even THINKING that they'd… that they'd… what was he thinking anyway? Was she jumping to conclusions again? This would be even more embarrassing…

His face was equally covered in a reddish hue just as hers was, but he was braver than she. His light brown eyes met hers without shame and uncertainty. "Well I figured we could just share my bed. It's bigger than a futon, anyway. I actually brought my original bed…"

Her mouth dropped open slightly as she struggled to process his words. When she didn't respond back immediately, he began to get nervous and start to physically fidget. "I-I'm not suggesting anything funny, of course. You know me! I wouldn't do something like that. I just figured, well, it's better than someone sleeping on the floor, right? And better than you leaving, right?"

With everything new he said, her mind continued reeling and she remained in shocked silence. This sent him from anxious to, what was that, defeated? He looked disappointed, maybe even reprimanded.

"I… I really didn't forget it on purpose, Rukia." He started pacing back and forth. His tension somehow eased some of it in herself. With him being more concerned about the situation, she felt less self-conscious and less worried about sharing a bed with him without embarrassing herself.

"I did think though… Well, I thought…" His pacing wouldn't stop and his sentences were making less sense.

"What, Ichigo?" She finally asked, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to appear completely unfazed.

"I thought that we… well, that our relationship was… I mean, I thought you knew how I felt. I never told you, true, but I thought I was obvious. I thought you felt the same… I thought I saw… I thought…" Nearly tripping over his own feet to stop pacing, he turned sharply to her, his hands in tight fists at his sides. "Rukia, how do you feel about me?"

"How… do I feel?" She whispered.

 _And her heart responded to his, as it always had. She knew what that un-name-able thing was. It was the thing that hearts do so well. Whether or not their owner is ready for it. Even when their owner is unaware of it growing. It feels love._

"Yes. How do you feel about me? Because… I know how I feel about you." He shyly confessed, as direct as he could manage. This brave soul with enough power to change the fate of every realm, was nervous because of how he felt… for her.

"Ichigo…" The tension left her body as she felt her barriers fall and her endless denial fail her in the face of such directness. And though she could tell that he was practically losing his mind with waiting for a proper answer, putting his heart on the line, he was so strong. It took a strong person to hand another person the power to reject them. But it was _his_ lucky day, she mused. Because that un-name-able thing she had long denied would not be ignored.

A smile grew on her face as she relaxed her arms at her sides. She met his eyes with her own. She didn't fully grasp what this change could mean for the future, but she trusted him. Her smile was soft and honest but playful as well. "I know… how I feel about you too."

Ichigo's grin was back. He took a step closer to her but then abruptly stopped. Still smiling, he ran his hands down the front of his face. He was nervous and it was adorable. But she definitely did not want to tease him but letting him think she was ready for something when she was definitely not.

Instead she took the last step in front of him, placing her hand on his chest and grinned. "So about that extra toothbrush…"

They did not enjoy their first kiss that night. They went to bed, shyly glancing at each other on either side of the bed. But after time, being unable to sleep, Rukia couldn't help but roll over closer to him to press against his side, just seeking contact. And even in Ichigo's sleep, he reached out for her, his arm that she was pressed against went under her head to wrap around her shoulders. A slight embrace but it was the most intimate experience. Smiling, Rukia was finally able to join him in slumber.

 _Their hearts were connected, through impossible barriers in space and time._


	11. Kisses

**Kisses** (1,569 words)

It all started with a movie. Or rather, watching many movies. Not only did watching TV completely captive Rukia in the beginning but her real love was for feature-length cinema. She loved how they could take her through a complex story in an average of two hours. She loved the musical montages, the special effects, the drama. And she wasn't picky either; she'd watch just about anything. After trying many different movies, Ichigo couldn't determine what her favorite genre was because she seemed to equally love them all.

But the dominos started to fall when one day he decided to try a scary movie. He didn't pick anything with too much blood or gore, mostly jump scares and psychological thrills. She sat with obvious anticipation on the couch, her arms wrapped around a soft pillow and her feet tucked underneath her. Once he started the movie, he joined her on the couch. They sat next to each other but never touched. They had been friends for years so it wasn't that they avoided physical contact, it was that Rukia tended to really get into the movies she was watching and the space could be critical to Ichigo avoiding injury.

When the haunting music started coupled with the dark atmosphere of the scenery, Rukia's eyes darted to his face with obvious confusion and curiosity. "What kind of movie is this one?"

"Oh, it's a scary moving about curses and ghosts," he answered, throwing his arm over the back of the couch to get into a more comfortable position. "That ok?" he added as an afterthought.

Rukia's lip shaped into a teasing smirk at his concern over the selection. She still loved to tease him and he figured that would never change. "Of course. You think I can't handle _ghosts_ , fool?"

Ichigo grinned, joining in the joke but also taking it as a challenge. "We'll see."

They weren't half an hour into the movie before a jump scare caused Rukia to shudder and jump at the same time. And without thought, she leaned closer to Ichigo and gripped his T-shirt, her eyes never leaving the TV screen. Rukia may not have noticed or cared but Ichigo certainly did. He couldn't be blamed, right? After all, he was a college-aged man who never had girlfriend. He told himself it was because between classes, hollows, and spending time with the woman next to him, he just never had time.

But he knew that wasn't quite the truth. To be honest, he never made the time to get a girlfriend. He wasn't very receptive to the women in his classes but he told himself it was because he was more concerned with his grades. Yet somehow, he always found time to entertain the shinigami next to him. He was so accustomed to having her around that he didn't feel like himself when she wasn't.

All of these thoughts were flying through his mind while she was holding on his shirt, nearly touching him. He quit the introspective of _'why'_ and decided to focus on _'the what do I do now?'_ instead. Because he certainly felt like doing something and he was _very_ experienced in running on instinct and going with his gut.

During the next jump scare, Rukia's upright posture buckled slightly as she gasped and pushed back into the couch, her knees coming up to her chest. She still didn't relinquish the grip she had on his shirt but she glanced up at Ichigo when she heard the light chuckle from his chest. "Shut up, fool," she whispered playfully. It didn't really register to her distracted mind that the arm he had propped on the back of the couch was now very lightly, almost tentatively, placed around her shoulders.

Over the course of the movie, Rukia lost herself in the plotline. She enjoyed the story, the expectation for the next scare, and wanted the curse to be 'conquered' by the main character. To Ichigo, the entire course of the movie was all about getting his nerves together and see how far he could push himself. Good thing he saw the movie before because he was paying absolutely zero attention to it. What he noticed was how soft her skin was at her bare shoulder, how warm she was pressed to his side, how good her hair smelled, and how small she was with her legs pulled up in front of her. She was downright cuddled into his side in the most comfortable way during the movie and he loved that she didn't seem opposed to it.

When the credits started rolling, it was already dark outside. The glare of the TV screen the only thing lighting the living room of the small apartment. Rukia let out a breath, her adrenaline from the movie coming back down. It was then that she realized just how cuddled up to Ichigo she was. It wasn't that she ignored the physical contact during the movie, she just didn't realize the extent of his reciprocity.

Ichigo swallowed nervously as her attention went from the TV to him. He could feel his face heat up but he refused to panic and pull back from her. He refused to be embarrassed or ashamed. The test was to see if he would be punched or not for his forwardness. He felt her eyes travel up his body to his face and he had to force his neck to turn to look down at her. When she didn't immediately say anything about their position, he apprehensively cleared his throat.

"S-so… did you like the movie?"

And then she surprised him by smiling like she knew something, like she knew his secret and that he was trying to normalize it by ignoring the obvious. _She knew!_

"Ah, I did," she answered casually, the smirk still on her face.

With the arm that wasn't currently wrapped around her, he reached up to rub the back of his neck. "W-what do you think of scary movies?" The hand that was laying innocently on her upper arm holding her close lightly squeezed, his thumb caressing her skin softly.

He felt both of her hands grip shirt, her chin lifted higher to make better eye contact. And instead of pushing away from him for a casual, friendly conversation distance, he could have sworn that she instead pulled herself a little closer to him. Her back straighter for there not to be as much space between their faces.

"I think we could definitely do this more often." Her voice was soft and low. He wondered if it was the movie she was referring to.

"We should?" he whispered back, his arm pulling her almost imperceptibly closer to him. He struggled to keep his eyes locked to her own instead of focusing on her lips. He wondered if she noticed.

When she smiled and glanced at his own mouth, he knew that once again he was caught. But she was smiling and he felt one of her small hands reach up to feather over the collar of his shirt. If this wasn't an invitation, he didn't know what was!

With a stomach tangled in nerves and his brain trying to scream at him to think about what he was doing, he ignored them both and listed only to his emotions that called for him to get closer. He leaned down toward her face and saw her eyes slowly close, his own following suit without thought. His lips touched hers for the first time and he wondered why he hadn't done this before. The disinterest he felt for other girls that flirted with him was absent with her. He wanted to experience everything and he felt like it would be painful if he stopped now.

Neither of them kissed before, it was obvious with both of them not knowing how to proceed. But neither of them pulled back. Ichigo took a chance and brought his other arm around to softly hold her face at her jawline. He moved his lips against hers to kiss them again, catching her bottom lip between his. He felt her shiver before her own arms snaked around his neck to pull her body tight against his. With that encouragement, he did it again, interlocking their lips as he felt her mimic his movements. When he felt the warm caress of her tongue against his sensitive lips, he audibly groaned.

Misinterpreting, she pulled back embarrassed, her face heated red. "S-sorry, I didn't mean…" she stuttered out. It had been a reflexive to taste him.

He did not allow her time to try to find the words and he certainly wasn't going to let her run away thinking he didn't like it. The hand at her cheek pushed back into her hair, enjoying the soft feel of it against his fingertips, and he gently massaged the back of her neck. She let out a shaky breath as he whispered so close to her face, "Do that again."

So she did. And they spent the rest of the evening discovering what felt good, what made the other person sigh or moan, and how to move together. They weren't sure how long they had been lip-locked but they certainly missed dinner. They blushed, they smiled, and they wished each other a good night, both looking forward to movie night the night evening.

Ichigo remembered well his very first kiss.


	12. Jealousy

**Jealousy and/or love rivals** (695 words)

Nekos are usually the jealous type. They don't share well – not when it comes to their food, their home, or their lovers. That's not to say that they don't have the capacity for kindness and generosity because they absolutely do. However, they oft become agitated or downright hostile when they feel threatened.

Ichigo had seen this happen with his mate, Rukia. He was a human that had happened to have a neko woman as his life companion and he had seen pretty much everything. But what had caught him off guard, what really surprised him, was when he saw those qualities in himself. He wondered if he just picked up her habits or if he was just that fiercely protective and possessive. He would really rather not contemplate that.

"Ichigo! I can't believe you! Now I'll never be able to show my face there again after what you did!" The small woman stomped ahead of him, reprimanding him without even looking back.

But he was just as angry. "He was flirting with you and _touching_ you, Rukia! And I don't want you going back there anyway!"

He watched her midnight black tail, which was slightly hanging out from the bottom of her pea coat, twitch in a way that he knew was highly annoyed. Her small cat-shaped ears were stiff and laid back on her head as well. "I told him off, Ichigo! And I could have handled him if it got worse. There was no need to PUNCH him! You caused a scene!"

"It WAS necessary!" He continued to stalk after his angry neko all the way from the parking lot to where they would find their apartment. The other pedestrians in their neighborhood quickly jumping out of their way as they barreled through angrily.

"In what universe would violence by the solution there?! You started that fight!" She unlocked and threw open the door to their home, not bothering to look back to see if he would follow her. She figured he would anyway.

The angry young man stepped inside his house and slammed the door behind him. He saw his wife's jacket laying on the floor but he didn't even bother with shedding his own. "He insulted my dignity as your partner to think he could get away with that. And he disrespected YOU in laying his hands on you. I will NOT hesitate to correct that!"

There was a pause, a moment of silence that met his words. He was actually a bit nervous about the lack of a response and he stayed rooted in the living room as he waited. After a few heart beats, he saw her face peek around the corner of the hallway that lead to their bedroom. "You… You did it to protect my honor?" He couldn't tell if she was confused, surprised, or infuriated. Her voice was so calm that he had a hard time gauging the danger level.

So he figured he'd go with honesty and softly answered, "yes."

He watched her step around the corner, her entire petite body coming into view. He noticed she kicked off her shoes and her tiny feet were bare on the rug beneath her feet. She shyly pulled from of her hair over her shoulder to play with it a moment as she met his eyes, smiling softly. "Were you jealous?"

Again, he could only answer with a simple, "yes." He was beginning to be far too distracted by her flirtatious eyes and the way her body swayed as she stepped closer to him. Her aqua-colored sun dress fluttered about her thighs with every step.

"You don't want anyone else to touch me but you?" Her voice him another question that he immediately knew the answer to.

"Yes."

"Then touch me," was all she needed to say before he reached down to grab the back of those thighs, lifting her up to wrap them around his waist. He arms went around his neck as their mouths met in a heated kiss. As he meaningfully carried her into their bedroom, he figured he could learn to accept the jealous side of him since Rukia seemed to appreciate it.


	13. Dates

**Dates** (470 words)

It had taken considerable explanation for Rukia to understand what a 'date' was. It was mostly explaining the nuances and how it was neither hanging out with a friend nor courting for marriage, but rather something in between.

And when she asked Ichigo for clarification on this term, he admitted strictly to himself that he was he was somehow paranoid that she was referring to him. He was much too nervous and still in denial about his own feelings to feel ready to scale that particular hurdle of his own. And one of his biggest fears was that the small shinigami could somehow read his mind.

But he also felt a peculiar sense jealousy and anger that one of his classmates may have brought it up to her instead. He figured he could easily explain away having to punch some guy out after school. It was almost expected of his stand-offish personality. He wondered if it should have really surprised him more that he didn't think twice of possibly needing to do it.

"What do you mean 'what did I tell Rukia?' Was she asking about me?! I am such a lucky man that a girl as beautiful as Rukia would – OW!" Keigo bent down low and out of his friend's reach to rub his injured head. Ichigo's fist coming down on it sure smarted, even after all this time.

"She was NOT asking about you." He mumbled in the usual grumpy fashion.

"Then why are you asking me about her? Why would you get my hopes up that the beautiful Rukia would ask about me? You are too cruel, Ichigo!"

Still rubbing the crown of his head, Keigo seamlessly switched from whining about the pain to whining about, well, his lack of love life.

"You just want to keep her to yourself! I just know it! It's your fault she's not interested in me!"

And, of course, blaming it on Ichigo.

"So when are YOU going to get the nerve to ask her out anyway? Huh, Ichigo?" Keigo teased him from a safer distance. "At least someone should worship the lovely princess Rukia! And maybe then you'll stop being so cranky at everyone!"

Ichigo never did figure out who initially mentioned "dating" to Rukia. But he focused his nervous energy about the whole thing on intimidating Keigo instead for the rest of the day. His loud-mouthed friend somehow always ended up saying just the right thing to make Ichigo agitated. And somehow it was usually about Rukia.

But maybe, just maybe, the guy had a point… Ichigo just wasn't sure if he honestly did have the guts to do it. Feeling the anxiety build up inside of him again, he simply smacked the back of Keigo's head to relieve himself of the feeling. He'd think about it later. Maybe.


	14. How We Were Before It All Went Wrong

**How we were before it all went wrong** (415 words)

They had just been friends. Good friends. Best friends. Normal – making inside jokes, laughing at stupid TV shows, teasing relentlessly, taking each other's food, looking out for the other's back – best friends. Their relationship made sense and he knew where they stood with each other. It was comfortable.

And then he had to go and screw it all up! And now she was back in Soul Society leaving him with all of his paranoia and anxiety over wondering what she thought of him and if he basically ruined everything they had built into their strong connection. The near-terror he experienced was almost debilitating. Was she laughing about his fumbled attempt at a _kokuhaku_? Did she hate him now? Would she ever come back to visit him again?

She hadn't even responded to him! If it weren't for the confused gaze she gave him before the doors closed, sending her back to Soul Society, he would have even considered the option that she didn't even hear him. But he certainly didn't whisper it as he watched her leave.

Ichigo had been too moved by her leaving him – again. He was just getting tired of seeing that. Every visit she took to see him and every assignment she was given to this area always had to come to an end. He even tried convincing himself that it was business trips and that her home was actually with him, instead of the other way around, to make her absences feel less painful. But her visits weren't always predictable and there could be months in between and that's what drove him crazy.

And though he never figured himself to be one of those guys who would suddenly make a love confession, his instinct reared up and did it for him, probably as a maneuver to keep her with him. Unfortunately, she still left. And to make matters worse, she left him without any reply. So how in the world was he to know if she accepted or rejected him?! Was she sharing his humiliation with her friends? Is Renji laughing at him _right now_? Or maybe instead now Ichigo succeeded in making it totally awkward for her and she will decide to spare him the rejection and uncomfortable atmosphere by never returning to visit him again!

And now he was stuck in this damnable anticipation! And with the very real possibility that he screwed everything up with Rukia, he was left regretting his rash decision in the worst way.


	15. Wishes

**Wishes** (394 words)

 _Wasn't pillow talk supposed to be romantic or passionate? That's what Ichigo had thought long before being in a relationship with his best friend. He was pretty sure this was the setting for those "sweet nothings" people mentioned that couples should do. What was a "nothing" anyway and why the hell would it be sweet when it was described as "nothing"? There was definitely something he had not been told, something he had missed learning about._

"You made wishes on stars?" Rukia held her stomach lightly as she giggled with pure joy. Laying back on the white pillow, she pulled the light sheet over her legs and up to her hips. Her body was still too hot to get dressed or even sleep yet.

She heard him scoff in mock indignation and heard the grin in his voice. "And you never did?" He turned his body towards her, placing a hand on her hip as his head took position behind hers, his nose in her hair.

"Well, yeah. When I was a _kid_!" Rukia couldn't hold back the chuckle as she leaned her head to the side to glance at him.

"You're _still_ a kid!" Ichigo smirked at her and enjoyed her instant scowl. He could tell she was struggling to keep it on her face and it amused him all the more.

"I refuse to rise to that bait, Kurosaki Ichigo. So instead, tell me what you would wish for." Turning her body in the tight space to face him, she placed one arm under her head and the other on his chest.

"Well, the obvious things… Getting to see my mom again. To be strong enough to protect my family from getting hurt again." He shrugged, a little uncomfortable with sharing such real feelings but wanting to say them out loud to her enough to fight it. As much as it might hurt him to face those emotions, he knew he always felt better after talking with Rukia about them. "And sometimes for stupid kid thing."

"Like?"

"Like the ability to fly. To get a dog." He paused and smiled. "And to finally beat Tatsuki for her kicking my ass so many times as a kid."

And Rukia's giggling continued. He'd do anything to listen to always hear that sound.

 _And Ichigo decided he much preferred their pillow talk, sweet or no._


	16. Red Thread of Fate

**Red thread of fate** (685 words)

Rukia glanced at her surroundings, her vision slowly scanning from one side to the other in a slow, easy speed. The sky was set for dawn or dusk, as it was painted in vibrant shades of blue, orange, and pink. The fluffy, cotton-like clouds in the sky practically glowed with the surrounding colors. The wind was gentle as it swept them by unhurriedly. She felt so peaceful.

She briefly wondered why she didn't fear the fact that there was no solid ground beneath her feet, but decided not to linger on that thought. She felt safe and it was wonderful not to question it. Taking a careful step forward, she found that she could move through this floating world with ease. Reaching her hand out, she felt a cooling sensation as her fingers swept through a small, nearby cloud. A smile spread across her lips at the feeling.

Wandering the mysterious sky world, it was hard to keep track of time. So she wouldn't be able to say at one point she felt the pull. But she knew it was there and would not be ignored. Instead of aimlessly strolling, she began to search. Her feet carried her faster and faster toward the source of the pull. It wasn't fear that drove her on, in fact she was still free of all anxiety. It was _need_ that told her to go. There was something important at the other end of this red ribbon.

Wait. Red ribbon? Pausing, she looked down at her hand where a semi-transparent red ribbon delicately circled her wrist, not even touching her skin. It seemed to be floating lovingly around her slender arm as the length of it reached far out in front of her far beyond what her eyes could see. She knew that the source of that magnetic pull was on the other end, somewhere. And her heart told her that she needed to find it.

Putting one foot in front of the other, she continued her mission to reach the end to find what she was connected to. Another strength of endless time passed but she knew not to stop. She trusted that she would eventually get there and it would, without question, be worth it. Something wonderful was waiting for her.

Then she saw him. At the other end of her red ribbon, he was standing there. He had been waiting for her. She hoped she hadn't kept him waiting long. But he smiled at her and she knew that he would have waited a lot longer for her. She saw her red ribbon gently floating between them, each end wrapped softly around a wrist of each of them. She stepped closer to him, gazing up into his eyes.

She knew those eyes! She knew that knowing smile on that handsome face. She knew that hair on his head. And suddenly she knew what she had been looking for: her destiny. And he was it. She opened her mouth and leaned toward him. She knew him. She knew-!

" _Ichigo!"_

Her eyes opened as she fought to catch her breath, her chest rising and falling in time with her heart beats. With cheeks flushed in a gentle pink hue, she placed a hand gently on her warm face. It felt so real, so convincing, that she felt more out of place lying in her futon than in that beautiful realm of clouds and colors. But she felt her temperature slowly return to normal in her cheeks and the world of reality settle in around her. The scenery of her bedroom fell into place as her recollection of her dream slipped away.

The last remaining memory of her dream came to her as she pulled her hand away from her cheek, glancing at her wrist. She could have sworn there was something that was supposed to be there. Wasn't there something she was supposed to remember?

Great, there goes her sleep for the rest of the night. She'd never be able to fall asleep again with this feeling like an itch that there was something she was searching for.


	17. Memories

**Memories** (418 words)

He remembered it was clear, dark night that he met the mysterious ghost woman. She had saved his, and his family's, life that night. He remembered her encouraging words that day at his mother's grave and how powerful they hit his heart. He remembered her tearful eyes when he saved her from that eternal fire. He remembered his heart nearly beating out of his chest when he saw her calling out to him, standing strong despite nearly meeting her death at the hands of the enemy.

Smiling softly to himself, he remembered the more intimate moments. He could recall their first stolen kiss that they refused to speak of for months afterward, both too taken aback by the strength of their emotion. Once they did decide to confront that unspoken kiss, it quickly escalated. He would never forget the magic that was waking up to see her dark hair on his pillow, her face in his shoulder, and her small hand on his chest, over his heart. Ichigo even remembered the day he finally worked up the nerve to ask her to wait for him. And he remembered the smooth feel of her skin against his when she whispered that she would.

He remembered so much.

But what he missed was the point in time when he didn't need those memories in order to see her face, hear her voice, and feel her skin. Ichigo didn't want these things to exist simply in his mind anymore. They felt faded with age. The memories no longer crisp and clear to him. They certainly didn't feel like they happened 'only yesterday', like the other elderly patients often described. It felt more like looking at an old photograph, its color growing more sepia-toned over time from constant remembering. He could recall a few small details of his feelings, her words, in any given memory. But what he wanted most of all was to reach out and have her with him in the present again.

So he feared not his coming death, his 'passing into the next world' as it were. He knew there was life after death. And he knew she was waiting for him. His eternity was only beginning. And he knew the moment it would start would be when the face of the woman who has followed his memories for the past fifty-five years appeared before him. She would come to him to take him home, to his forever. And then he wouldn't have to simply remember her anymore.


	18. Partings or Reunions

**Partings and/or reunions** (480 words)

He felt like a brand new man as he walked on abled legs again, this time as a Shinigami unhindered by a physical body in the mortal realm. He had grown so weak and frail as an old man fighting against his many ailments. Ichigo was ready for death and its many adventures long before his body had given up the fight.

But before his adventures could begin, he was forced through the rigmarole of ceremony. Nearly all of the seated officers and higher from the Gotei 13 were in attendance when he arrived in Soul Society. Surrounded by applause, smiles, and bows of respect, it reminded him anew of all of the wars and battles he had been through against, with, and for these people. He felt like he was leaving one home for another, with no time or room for mourning.

Rubbing the back of his neck in an unconscious nervous habit, he set about greeting each of the captains and lieutenants. Some lives were lost in that last Blood War so there were plenty of faces missing that he recalled from times past. But there were some new faces as well. And others, he recalled with such clarity it had been like they were never separated to begin with. And one in particular…

As he reached the 13th Division and his eyes found the large, captivating eyes of their captain, he smirked. He could barely contain his own emotions but fought to remain collected on the outside.

"Yo."

"It's been a long time, Ichigo," she said softly, smirking right back at him.

He could tell from decades of friendship that she wanted to say more, do something, possibly punch him, just to rid herself of the tension crackling between them. There were no longer any barriers between. And he would no longer allow Rukia to convince him of any reason not to further their relationship. She had done everything in her power to force him to live a mortal life, free of any obligation to the after-world, including herself. He hated it. He had never married and she knew damn well why.

But no longer. Finally he could do what he had been fantasizing about for the past half-century. As she opened her mouth to say something else, probably something to tease or incite annoyance to district him, he swooped down upon her. Within the blink of an eye, he had one of his hands gently cradling the nape of her neck, his fingers in her soft hair and his mouth slanted across hers.

He was deaf to the uproar of cheers and claps. But he felt her smaller hands grip the fabric of his shihakusho and her lips soften to allow his kiss. He'd pay royally for this public display later. But now they had all the time in the world for arguing and making up.


	19. Crossover

**Crossover** (669 words)

"Ichigo! They have no idea. They don't know that it takes far more than this to make you despair. They don't know how much suffering you've already overcome. Show them, Ichigo! Show them that despair will never chain you down!" Her voice was powerful, unyielding. There was little doubt why she was the heroine and his inspiration.

"Ah," he simply agreed, holding his zanpakuto out in a stance ready for battle. He felt the air pick up the edges of his shihakusho as he leaned into his weapon as if bracing for an attack.

" _CUT!_ "

Suddenly the area was overrun with bustling workers and noise filled the previously reverent silence. Handing his sword to a handler, he accepted a cold water bottle from another worker as he made his way off the set.

"Man, I am glad we're finally done with those scenes! I swear the writer just wants to see everyone stab me in the chest for one reason or another." The orange-haired man plopped down in an empty actor's chair was great relief and fatigue. Throwing one arm over his eyes, he leaned back and stretched one leg out to get comfortable, his large frame barely contained in the small chair.

"Maybe he's beginning to think you enjoy it." The small, dark-haired woman took the seat next to him in a much more civilized fashion and he could hear the smirk in her voice. And he couldn't himself from responding just as cheeky.

"Maybe I only enjoy it when you do it, _Rukia_." He lifted the arm from his eyes to leer at her, his lips pulled back for a naughty grin in her direction.

"Hmph!" She whipped her head to the side, breaking eye contact, her chin-length hair swishing about her face in a charming way. She could try her best to look haughty and offended but he knew better. She loved flirting with him just as much as he did. The only difference was that she didn't want their secret relationship to go public.

"I really do think your character was milking it a bit, don't you though? I mean, bawling like that on the ground in front of his enemies to boot?" She asked, glancing down at her well-worn script for the next couple episodes. He knew she was changing the subject and he figured he'd let her.

"Nah, I don't think so." He placed the arm back over his eyes when he felt her attention shift back to him. He knew if he made eye contact with her right now, he'd be dragging her off to some dark corner to kiss and paw at her. She'd be livid. "Ichigo had just been through an emotional rollercoaster and lost it for a moment."

"What do you mean? I figured after all he'd been through up to that point he'd be able to handle that a little better. Besides, didn't he trust her to come through for him? Did he think she forgot about him?" He heard the sound of her ruffling through the pages of the script.

"You seem to forget he had lost the girl he fell in love with literally in the blink of an eye and had lived over a year in misery over feeling helpless and alone. It may not be like losing his mom but this was pretty bad." Rubbing the heels of his hands into his eyes to keep himself from getting too tired, he pulled himself into an upright position and grabbed his water bottle. "Why do you think he suddenly gets more determined, more focused, more confident after that scene?"

"He regained his powers?"

"Hm, perhaps. But he also regained _her_. And I'd argue that's more important to him." He lifted the water bottle to his mouth and, before taking another swallow, shot a meaningful look over to his co-star. He knew she got it when he saw a light blush cover her cheeks as she hummed a soft acceptance and turned back to her script.


	20. What the Future Holds for Us

**What the future holds for us** (353 words)

Ichigo flashed stepped over to Rukia. The relief was clearly written all over his face when he confirmed her bankai was long thawed and she was left in tack. He gripped her elbow to help her steady herself as she stood on tired legs. Ignoring all of his own injuries, he couldn't help but ask after all he had seen, "Are you all right?"

"Ah," she whispered in exhaustion, her eyes looking up into his with swirling emotions. With adrenaline still high for both of them, it was hard to come down after the battle.

With one hand still holding onto the woman by his side, he surveyed what remained of the royal palace around him. As the dust settled, destruction was all he could see and he was sure the Soul Society was probably even worse. There was no telling what the final casualty count would be by the time everyone could regroup. It didn't feel much like winning.

"Hard to believe it's all over," she whispered softly. He could hear the same sentiment in the catch her voice as he felt in his own heart.

"So what do we do now?" he couldn't help but ask her. He felt that she always had good answers when he couldn't find them himself.

"We rebuild."

She sounded so sure, so brave, even in the face of near-annihilation. Yet all he felt was exhaustion down to his bones. He hadn't been a shinigami long but he'd appreciate it if enemies would stop popping up, hell-bent on destroying the world and everyone in it.

"How…?" He stopped his question, unable to ask past the lump in his throat. He felt Rukia pull her arm out of his grasp and instead take his hand gently, but firmly, into her own. Blinking, he glanced back down to her face. He was taken aback when he saw a smile on her face. It was sweet and determined. Somehow he was able to stand a little straighter.

"One day at a time."

She always knew what to say, he thought, and smiled back at her without hesitation. "Together?"

"Together."


End file.
